Pad Thai Noodles

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This popular Thai noodle dish has a delicate balance of spicy, sweet, salty, and sour flavors. This recipe is based on a traditional Bangkok-style version of the dish. It is not swimming in sauce like many Western versions found in restaurants. The dish is full of flavor with a light coating of delicious sauce in every bite. Serve with lime wedges, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper or pepper flakes, and vinegar on the table so guests can individually adjust tastes.

Submitted by Bud W
Published on June 19, 2020
3
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Additional Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 7 ounces 1/4-inch thick rice stick noodles

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons raw peanuts, or more to taste

  • 6 Thai chile peppers, seeded and minced, or more to taste

  • 1 shallot, minced, or more to taste

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste

  • 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into 1/4-inch strips

  • ⅓ cup extra-firm tofu, cut into matchsticks

  • 2 ½ tablespoons white sugar

  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

  • 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce

  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

  • 1 egg

  • ¼ pound large shrimp - peeled, deveined, and tails removed (Optional)

  • 1 cup bean sprouts (Optional)

  • 1 cup chopped fresh chives (Optional)

  • 1 lime, juiced

Directions

  1. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside until noodles are flexible but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain.

  2. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. Add oil; heat until it shimmers. Add peanuts; cook and stir until roasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from wok.

  3. Stir chile peppers, shallot, and garlic into the oil; cook and stir until garlic just begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and tofu; cook until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes. Add noodles, stirring quickly to mix in and prevent them from sticking. Add sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and white pepper together; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

  4. Push noodle mixture to one side of the wok; crack egg into the empty space. Stir until scrambled, 1 to 2 minutes; fold into noodles. Stir in shrimp; cook until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Add roasted peanuts, bean sprouts, chives, and lime juice; cook and stir until flavors combine, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Cook's Notes:

Substitute peanut oil for the vegetable oil if desired. Substitute 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for the Thai chile peppers if desired. Substitute pork for the chicken if preferred. Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar if preferred. Swap regular chives for the Chinese chives if preferred.

If you cannot find tamarind paste, use 2 tablespoons white vinegar instead.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

536 Calories
15g Fat
66g Carbs
36g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 536
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 626mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 36g 72%
Vitamin C 178mg 198%
Calcium 154mg 12%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 678mg 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.